Another player with an Ajax history. Curiously, the first steps on a professional football pitch of John Heitinga were in Rotterdam. The young defender was a substitute in the game against arch rivals Feyenoord, a game that Ajax won 1-2.. After an injury-plagued 2002/2003 season, Heitinga establishes himself as a first team player in the 2003/2004 season, in which Ajax won their most recent league title. He is a defender who can play at right back, as a centre back and also as a defensive midfielder. Heitinga’s biggest quality is his passing. In his last two seasons at the club he showed his quality by joining the midfield and attacking.

Heitinga matured enough to get a move in the summer of 2008. Spanish side Atletico Madrid signed the Dutchman, but his period in Spain would only last one season. Heitinga played a lot of games, but did not like the fact that he had to play a lot at right back. A late move to Everton last summer made him happy, because with the Toffees Heitinga can play centre back again. Did you know that:

John Heitinga has a relationship with Charlotte-Sophie Zenden, the younger sister of former Dutch international and current Sunderland player Boudewijn Zenden?

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